The History of the Foundation

His Holiness Filaret, the Patriarch of Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the patron of The Soul of Ukraine international charitable foundation for the support of Ukrainian people, and Sergey Melnikoff, a.k.a. MFF, the founder of the foundation, and American art photographer with Cossack roots, at the InterContinental hotel where the artist was awarded the Order of St. Volodymyr Equal-to-the-Apostles.

The History of the Foundation

MFF presenting The Soul of Ukraine – the largest picture in Ukraine. The large-scale panorama depicts hundreds of artists in costumes, representatives of Ukraine's most renowned folklore ensembles. The picture, unique in its nature, was made from a hot air balloon.

The History of the Foundation

Sergey Melnikoff, the founder of the foundation, hosting a banquet in honor of His Holiness Filaret where the artist presented him with the exclusive picture The Soul of Ukraine.

His Holiness!

It is a great honor for me to present you with this symbolic gift. The Ukrainian church, in the person of His Holiness, is calling for the country to unite in the troublous time of war with the Russian empire.
It fills my heart with bliss to not only be standing near His Holiness but also to have been given a chance to make a gift for such a divine person with impeccable conscience and soul.

In his speech of response, Patriarch Filaret expressed his admiration for the artist's work and awarded his American guest with the Order of St. Volodymyr Equal-to-the-Apostles.

Kyiv. April 24, 2014Photo Credit: UNIAN

The History of the Foundation

His Holiness Filaret, the Patriarch of Ukrainian Orthodox Church, awarding Anastasia Zholynska and Oksana Tsybka from the foundation's board of trustees with Orders of Saint Great Martyr Barbara.
Left to right: Patriarch Filaret, Eminent Agapit, Oksana Tsybka, Anastasia Zholynska.

Kyiv. April 24, 2014Photo Credit: UNIAN

The History of the Foundation

Myroslav Vantuh, a legendary Ukrainian ballet master and co-chairman of the foundation's board of trustees, in a meeting with Gennadii Korolov, CEO of the foundation (left).

Kyiv. July 15 2014Photo by MFF

The History of the Foundation

Tatiana Alexandrova, head of audit committee and art-director of The Soul of Ukraine Foundation, Inc. in the U.S.A., in a meeting with the board of trustees at the InterContinental hotel in Kyiv.

Kyiv. May 30, 2014Photo by MFF

The History of the Foundation

CEO Gennadii Korolov in a meeting with the so-called Dr. Ironfist – Vitaly Klitschko, Mayor of Kyiv and the former world heavyweight boxing champion.

Kyiv. October 8, 2014Photo by MFF

The History of the Foundation

Sergey Melnikoff in a conversation about the foundation's projects with the legendary scholar Borys Paton, head of the board of trustees.
The two are 157 years old combined.

The History of the Foundation

Veronika Orel, director of educational programs of the foundation, giving a free workshop on conversational English for Ukrainian youngsters in A. Pushkin park, Kyiv. The participans, who have only seen bookish English in their school and university days, are learning to express themselves in a better way, led by an experienced teacher, a co-owner of an English language school.

Kyiv, August, 2015Photo by Vera Kuzmina

The History of the Foundation

Anastasia Melnikov, President of The Soul of Ukraine Foundation, Inc. Being still in her twenties, Anastasia has managed to gain work experience in more than twenty countries of the world, travel around the world twice, get two degrees in U.S.A. universities and master a dozen languages. She is fluent in German, English, Russian, Japanese, American Sign Language and is a worthy representative of the foundation in North America.

Florida, the U.S.A. October 4 2015Photo: press office of the foundation

The History of the Foundation

Left to right: Sergey Melnikoff, Stepan Bratsyun (Chairman of the Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists), Gennadii Korolov.

Kyiv. February 5, 2015Photo: press office of the foundation

The History of the Foundation

Dr. Sergey Melnikoff giving a speech at the Ukrainian Crisis Center in the first year of Maidan with Stepan Bratsyun, Chairman of the Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists, by his side.

Kyiv. February 20,Photo: press office of the foundation

The History of the Foundation

Ex-president of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma discussing the possibility of collaboration between two charitable foundations with Sergey Melnikoff.

Kyiv. December 12, 2014Photo: press office of the foundation

The History of the Foundation

Ukraine is greeting the legendary Kakha Bendukidze. Founder of the Knowledge Foundation, Georgia's liberal reform advocate and a politician, Kakha Bendukidze shared many priceless insights regarding public awareness campaigns with the founder of The Soul of Ukraine. The last meeting between the two founders happened one month prior to the honored Georgian's death.

Kyiv. October 20, 2014Photo: press office of the foundation

The History of the Foundation

Oksana Tsybka, member of the board of trustees, with her birthday present – the art work Planet Earth by MFF. This majestic art piece won first place at the international competition Maria Luisa in Spain in 2008.

Kyiv. The InterContinental hotel, October 14, 2014Photo by MFF

The History of the Foundation

With one of the most scandalous urban climbers in the world. In 2014, Pavlo Ushivets, better known as Mustang Wanted, climbed one of the Moscow skyscrapers in Stalinist style that are situated opposite Kremlin, painted the spire in blue and raised the Ukrainian flag on top of the building. The reckless daredevil did this during the conflict ignited by Russia on Donbas and the Crimea.

Kyiv. The InterContinental hotel, August 14, 2014Photo by Gennadii Korolov

The History of the Foundation

The new political forces are soliciting support from The Soul of Ukraine Foundation. Viktor Krylenko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee, in a meeting with Sergey Melnikoff at the InterContinental hotel.

Kyiv. December 12, 2014Photo: press office of the foundation

The History of the Foundation

A dialog with the church. MFF with Priest Igor Onyshkevych of Church of St. Nicholas in the Askold’s Grave park, discussing the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Kyiv. February 19, 2015Photo: press office of the foundation

The History of the Foundation

MFF conveying a personal message from academician Borys Paton to His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama through a representative of the Buddhist community in Kyiv.

Kyiv. July 16, 2014Photo: press office of the foundation

The People of Maidan Exhibition

Tatiana Alexandrova, Art Director of The Soul of Ukraine foundation, is about to announce a global project, the international exhibition People of Maidan, set in the courtyard of St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery and Cathedral in Kyiv.
Lady Tatiana, who is Belarusian, was awarded the Order of the Saint Great Martyr Barbara for the realization of this project.

Kyiv. September 10, 2014Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

The People of Maidan exhibition in the courtyard of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral and Monastery – one of the most important religious shrines of Ukraine. For two months, the exhibition was seen by several thousand people daily.

Kyiv. September 28, 2014Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

Slaves are not allowed into Heaven! Each of the 102 large-scale photos of the exhibition is accompanied by shockingly powerful memoires of those participating in the Revolution of Dignity.

Kyiv. September 28, 2014Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

His Holiness Patriarch of Ukrainian Orthodox Church Filaret at the exhibition People of Maidan in St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral and Monastery.

Kyiv. October 9, 2014Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

MFF with members of the board of trustees of The Soul of Ukraine Foundation – academician Miroslav Vantuh (center) and academician Mikhail Chemberzhi, at the exhibition People of Maidan.

Kyiv. October 2, 2014Photo by Gennadii Korolov

The People of Maidan Exhibition

The People of Maidan in Blockbuster entertainment center.
An indoor option of the exposure for premises without specially adapted showrooms allows us to show the exhibition People of Maidan in any sufficiently spacious premises, including unequipped halls of movie-theaters and entertainment complexes. Unlike an open-air exhibition, the indoor premises allow for displaying the plates printed on one side and mounted on sliding easels.

Kyiv. July 21, 2014Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

Three Maidanites. The creators of the exhibition show a detailed exposition to the Ukrainian Culture Yevgen Nischyuk, Minister of Ukrainian Culture, in the Ukrainian House on the anniversary of Independence Day. Mr. Nischyuk was the Voice of Maidan, leading all public events that took place on the main stage of the nation in the days of the confrontation. Left to right: Gennadii Korollv, Evgeny Nischyuk and Sergey Melnikoff.

Kyiv. November 21, 2014Photo: press office of the foundation

The People of Maidan Exhibition

The Right Reverend Agapit, rector of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery and the co-chairman of board of trustees of The Soul of Ukraine Foundation, Inc. blesses one of the foundation’s largest public projects – the international exhibition People of Maidan. Gennadii Korolov (left), CEO of the foundation.

Kyiv. October 14, 2014Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

The best booth of the exhibition People of Maidan in the center of the Latvian Republic’s capital, Freedom Boulevard. For many years of the Russian occupation, that very spot was occupied by a statue of Lenin.

Riga, Latvia. October 6, 2015Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

Inara Murniece (left), Chairwoman of the Saeima (Latvian Parliament) with Dr. Sergey Melnikoff, the author of the project, an American artist. Inara Murniece was awarded the First Class Order of St. Volodymyr Equal-to-the-Apostles for supporting the project in her country.

Riga, Latvia. October 8, 2015Photo by Gennadii Korolov

The People of Maidan Exhibition

H.E. Yevgen Perebiynis, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Republic of Latvia, opens the exhibition People of Maidan in Jelgava with a welcoming speech in the Latvian language.Yevgen Perebiynis was awarded the Order of St. Volodymyr Equal-to-the-Apostles for support of the exhibition project, on recommendation of the founder of The Soul of Ukraine Foundation.

Jelgava, Latvia. October 22, 2015Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

Before commencement of the exhibition in a new city, the municipality arranges a meeting at the request of the foundation’s organizers of the show with the district school authorities. The organizers of the exhibition tell about the project and ask to arrange open lessons for students along with their visit of the exhibition.

On photo: Gennadii Korolov and Andrejs Ancans, a volunteer translator, tell students in the town of Bauska about the struggle of the new Ukraine for the European democratic values and the aspiration of their Ukrainian peers to a decent way of life. Andrejs Ancans and Gennadii Korolov were awarded the Ukrainian Order of St. Volodymyr Equal-to-the-Apostles for selfless work in the framework of the People of Maidan project.

Bauska, Latvia. November 2, 2015Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

The People of Maidan exhibition is always accompanied by volunteers dressed in rich Ukrainian national costumes. As a rule, these people have participated in the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity. They tell visitors of the exposition about Maidan, the aims of the confrontation, the struggle of people for the law to be applied to everyone in the country. Volunteers present the audience with Ukrainian souvenirs with gratitude for their visit and for their donations to the foundation.

Kyiv. October 5, 2014Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Walesa and Mayor of Kyiv Vitaly Klitschko on the courtyard of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery. The mayor and ex-President of Poland visited the People of Maidan exhibition and lit candles at St. St. Michael's Golden-Domed Cathedral in memory of those fallen during the Revolution of Dignity.

Kyiv. October 4, 2014Photo Credit: UNIAN

The People of Maidan Exhibition

Maitre hanging up his own pieces in the first show of the exhibition in St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery.

Kyiv. September 11, 2014Photo: press office of the foundation

The People of Maidan Exhibition

The People of Maidan. View from the bell tower of St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery and Cathedral. In Kyiv, the exhibition was visited by not less than 100,000 people.

Kyiv. September 12, 2014Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

Tatiana Alexandrova, art director of the foundation, inspects People of Maidan in Latvia. Tatiana was the chief editor of texts of maidanites’ memories which are presented in the exhibition.

Riga, Latvia. October 8, 2015Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

A rare showing of the People of Maidan exhibition indoors. A full deployment of the huge exposition requires an area of one thousand square meters. In the winter of 2015, the exhibition was held in the building of the Congress of Ukrainian Nationalists, which is located in the city center within walking distance of the famous historical Monastery.

Kyiv. February 19, 2015Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

Tatiana Kolganenko, press secretary of the foundation, one of the initiators of the People of Maidan being exhibited in the Ukrainian House on the anniversary of the Revolution of Dignity.

Kyiv. November 21, 2014Photo by MFF

The People of Maidan Exhibition

The organizers of the People of Maidan exhibition cannot be stopped even by winter frost, which did not discourage Ukrainian patriots in the days of the Revolution of Dignity in Kyiv during the winter of 2013-2014. The picture shows exhibition stands being installed in Latvian Ogre, in the snow-free part of the central Freedom Boulevard.